All about fashion, the fashion marketplace, and WoogieWoo.com for entrepreneurs, fashionistas and everyone else in between.

08/08/2012

The Power of the Photo

Sometimes it takes only a glance to know how powerful a photo is. How it grasps your attention, how it creates a sense of thought. Photography is a skill. With the recent incline in popular apps like Instagram, photography has suddenly become more available to the average person. It's not neccessary to have a $2,000 camera any more (even though a camera like that would take some pretty awesome pictures).

More importantly, for all you designers out there, the way you take pictures of your products can make or break a sale. Quality pictures will give customers the opportunity to view your product in the best way possible.

Here are some helpful tips on what to think about the next time you do a photoshoot of your latest product line. These small tips can help make or break a new customer. Photography is important, but more importantly it's about how you take the picture is what will make the sale.

Lighting

If you can find a way to use natural light, do it. Set up your shot near a window (or near a white wall if it reflects enough window light).

If you have a yard and the weather’s nice enough to shoot outside, drag a card table out back and set up an impromptu studio. Early morning and late afternoon light will be easier to shoot in than harsh, direct, noontime sun.

If you can’t use natural light, be sure to use the white balance function on your camera. You can also use image editing software like Photoshop to clean up your photos after the fact. Play with the color balance to take out any color casts you may have picked up from artificial lighting, and lighten the photos if they’re too dim. This is particularly important if you’re trying to show the color of your item.

Using a flash may work for tutorials and larger items, but won’t work for small items like jewelry. You can try our film canister flash diffuser or tape a little piece of white tissue paper over your flash to avoid glare.

If you have a cardboard box lying around, you can make your own softbox. You’ll be amazed how playing with lighting can improve your photos.

Background

Keep your backgrounds as simple as possible.

If your worktable is ugly but it’s the only place you can set up, cover the surface with some nice paper from the art supply store. Tablecloths work fine if they’re well-ironed; wrinkles will distract the eye.

For tutorials, light backgrounds tend to work best. Color can work if it’s not too distracting and doesn’t clash with what you’re photographing.

For small items such as jewelry, you can use more interesting backgrounds. Some designers use vintage books and industrial surfaces to show off their jewelry on WoogieWoo, and it works great. Wood, paper, cloth and metal can all add a little something to your images.

For tutorials and larger items like clothing, you’ll have to pull back to get everything in the shot. Make sure the rest of your studio/ apartment/ mobile command unit isn’t visible in the shot. Set up by a blank wall and use it as a backdrop.

Be aware that if you have windows or mirrored surfaces in your shot, your reflection will show up as well. Don’t forget to put some pants on unless you want to become an internet phenomenon.

How to Shoot

Use a tripod even if you think you have enough light. When you’re taking photos of small objects, a little camera shake can end up blurring major details.

For small items, get in as close as you can. Make the viewer feel like they could reach out and touch it. Use the macro setting on your camera.

If you have an SLR, you can pick up a couple of close-up filters- they’re a cheaper alternative to fancy zoom lenses.

More importantly, don’t get in so close that your camera can’t focus. Good sharp focus is more important than filling the frame.

Since you’re going to use these photos on the web, you can always take the photo at a higher resolution and use Photoshop to crop in tight. You’ll probably still have resolution to spare when you’re done.

If you’re taking pictures of a tutorial and need to show your hands performing a step, get a friend to help you out. It’s just too hard to get a good photo of your own hands, unless you make yourself an amazing headcam.

What to Shoot

Take pictures from every angle you can think of, and shoot way more than you think you need to.

If you’re doing a tutorial, document every step of the process- you may not think you need that shot, but you might want it later on. Take a picture of all the ingredients together before you start, and take a few nice feature shots of the final product.

If you’re photographing clothing or jewelry, get a picture of someone wearing it. Ask one of your cute friends to model for you.

If you don’t want to model something on a person (like one-of-a-kind earrings you don’t want to sell after they’ve been in somebody’s ears) put a familiar object in the shot for size comparison.

If you’re trying to sell something, include a variety of pictures. A close-up detail, a shot of the whole thing, and a couple of different angles will help people see what they’re getting.

More Resources

Photo.net has a great guide to macro photography, complete with technical stuff about lenses!